Tuesday, March 20, 2007

What is Uncle Sam killing these days?

Just about everything. According to records it released last week at the urging of conservation groups, inn 2005, the USDA-APHIS-Wildlife Services killed three bald eagles (two by leg-hold traps, one by sodium cyanide gun); one golden eagle (by neck snare); two grizzly bears (leg snares); and 252 gray wolves (aerial gunning, trapping, and shooting).

The Wildlife Services department's mission is to get rid of pests, particularly for farmers and ranchers.In 2005, Wildlife Service killed:• 1.2 million starlings and 300,000 other birds, including a snowy owl (made famous in the Harry Potter movies), several hawks, eagles, song birds, and water birds.• About 50,000 animals from the rodent and rabbit families—the largest toll came from beavers (33,000), nutria (3,000), and marmots and woodchucks (3,000).• 99,346 native carnivores, such as 73,000 coyotes, 500 badgers, 2,200 bobcats, and 10,000 raccoons.Wildlife Services had three notable changes from 2004 to 2005:To learn more about the agency, click here: http://www.aphis.usda.gov/wildlife_damage/